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Trivia: Musical Terms

Subject : trivia
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. The highest female voice.






2. A form of music written for marching in two-step time. Originally the march was used for military processions.






3. A single line of music played or sung. A musical sentence.






4. In sheet music - an instruction to repeat the beginning of the piece before stopping on the final chord.






5. Primary theme or subject that is developed.






6. Pertaining to the fugue - the overlapping of the same theme or motif by two or more voices a few beats apart.






7. A Boroque dance with a drone-bass.






8. Successive notes of a key or mode either ascending or descending.






9. A composition based on previous work. A common technique used in Medieval and Renaissance music.






10. A line in a contrapuntal work performed by an individual voice or instrument.






11. One or more vocalists performing without an accompaniment.






12. Groups of tones that are harmonious when sounded together as in a chord.






13. Short detached notes - as opposed to legato.






14. Three to four movement orchestral piece - generally in sonata form.






15. The performance of either all instruments of an orchestra or voices in a chorus.






16. A direction in sheet music indicating the tempo is to be very fast.






17. Suite of Baroque dances.






18. The opening section of a piece of music or movement.






19. A group of 4 instruments - two violins - a viola - and cello.






20. System of notes or tones based on and named after the key note.






21. The unit of musical rhythm.






22. One of the two modes of the tonal system. Music written in major keys have a positive affirming character.






23. Combining a number of individual but harmonizing melodies. Also known as counterpoint.






24. A short or brief sonata.






25. A chord comprised of three whole tones resulting in an augmented fourth or diminished fifth.






26. Arrangement of music for a combined number of instruments.






27. Singing in unison - texts in a free rhythm. Similar to the rhythm of speech.






28. A scale consisting of only whole-tone notes. Such a scale consists of only 6 notes.






29. A short piece originally preceded by a more substantial work - also an orchestral introduction to opera - however not lengthy enough to be considered an overture.






30. Originally an improvised cadence by a soloist. Later it became a written out passage to display performance skills of an instrumentalist or performer.






31. Either of the two octave arrangements in modern music. The modes are either major or minor.






32. Introduction to an opera or other large musical work.






33. A piece of music played at the end of a recital responding to the audiences enthusiastic reaction to the performance - shown by continuous applause.






34. Curved line connecting notes to be sung or played as a phrase.






35. A quick 20th century dance written in double time.






36. The flats and sharps at the beginning of each staff line indicating the key of music the piece is to be played.






37. A separate section of a larger composition.






38. Direction to performer to play a composition in a brisk - lively - and spirited manner.






39. A period in history dating from the 14th to 16th centuries. This period signified the rebirth of music - art - and literature.






40. A loose collection of instrumental compositions.






41. Three notes played in the same amount of time as one or two beats.






42. A glissando or portamento. Also refers to the moving part of a trombone.






43. A musical style characterized as excessive - ornamental - and trivial.






44. Harsh - discordant - and lack of harmony. Also a chord that sounds incomplete until it resolves itself on a harmonious chord.






45. A piece of music played at the end of a recital responding to the audiences enthusiastic reaction to the performance - shown by continuous applause.






46. A person with notable technical skill in the performance of music.






47. A style of singing which is characterized by the easy and flowing tone of the composition.






48. Word to indicate the movement or entire composition is to be played very slow and serious.






49. Pleasing combination of two or three tones played together in the background while a melody is being played. Harmony also refers to the study of chord progressions.






50. A Boroque dance with a drone-bass.